10:00 A.M.
Excitement filled my body as I woke up on March 2nd, 2024. The Houston Rodeo had been an event that never elicited such a reaction from me, either because of my lack of Southern pride or cultural assimilation. Growing up in Mexico I had seldom experienced the livestock world, the various bits of information I had gathered throughout the years were from my friends whose families owned ranches. The Houston Rodeo is more than just livestock though- yes, the livestock shows are one of the most important attractions at the Rodeo, but an extraordinary array of booths filled with foods, sweets, hats, jewelry, livestock-related gear and more are available inside the NRG Center. Needless to say, I was ready to get there and enjoy this Texan staple with my friends.
1:00 P.M.
Most of the morning was spent doing ordinary chores and homework until I decided to start getting ready for the day. Unlike many other Texans, I did not “dress up” per se, instead, I opted for more casual attire: denim jeans, a white crop top, and a baseball cap. I knew I would definitely stand out, as most rodeo attendees tend to gravitate toward the cowboy aesthetic- cowboy hats, boots and vests become the norm. Regardless, I put on a little bit of makeup, left my house, and headed downtown in order to hang out with a friend before the Rodeo.
4:00 P.M.
Every year the Houston Rodeo has an amazing line-up of mostly country singers who headline shows after the big livestock events inside the NRG Stadium.
On March 2nd, the day I was attending the Rodeo, country and nu-metal songwriter Hardy was set to perform for thousands of Texans, so as the time for his concert got closer, I started to make my way to one of the many parking lots available for attendees. Thankfully, technology nowadays makes it extremely convenient to purchase a parking ticket in advance for $25, which includes free transportation from the parking lot to the event. The whole parking process ended up being easy enough for an amateur driver like myself. As I parked and was directed to a white tent, I comfortably took a seat in one of the many buses available for the attendees. The ride only lasted 10 minutes, which I considered to be way better than walking. Arriving at the grounds of the event, the first things I noticed were the multitude of carnival rides- I made a mental note of which ones I would like to get on when my friends from The Village School arrived later that day.
5:00 P.M.
After a while of just walking around and enjoying the scenery, I decided it was time to head to my seat inside the NRG Stadium. With country music blasting through the speakers, I easily found my seat and waited until Hardy came out. As I grew more and more excited, the intro to Sold Out, one of my favorite Hardy songs from his most recent album, began to play. The stage was huge and in the shape of a star. In its center, a turning circle held all of Hardy’s band members, giving everyone in the audience a chance to appreciate stellar instrument playing. Enormous screens above the stage were the way to which I resorted to watching the performance, as my seat was a little further away. When Hardy moved to his third song, Jack, I opted to put my phone down and immerse myself completely in the art.
6:00 P.M.
Shocked by the amazing performance happening right in front of my eyes, I could not believe I had just witnessed what I had just labeled the best concert of my life. Everything from the audience’s reactions to the stage production completely blew me away- Hardy had a way of owning the stage in a way I had never witnessed before. Slowly, the crowd dissipated and the stadium emptied itself. Crowds of people were making their way back to the ground floors as the evening inched closer and the carnival grew more enticing. To my surprise, the next hour went by in the blink of an eye, either because of my exhaustion or from my shock after a great show.
